This whole issue on the filibuster astounds me. I can’t even comprehend the Republicans acting this way. I would expect a novice, young, heated city council member to act this impudently, not a seasoned Senator, which is virtually the highest elected office you can hold in this country.
The filibuster is a centuries-old, time-tested procedure to keep the majority in check. Frist keeps using the sound byte “Just let these nominees have a vote”. The fact is, they CAN have a vote. At any time, if 60 Senators think the filibuster is unnecessary they can vote and break the filibuster. That’s only 9 more than it takes to affirm the nominee. *AND*, it doesn’t have to be 60 who support the nominee, only 60 who think a vote should be held. But if 41 Senators think the majority party will support a radical (left or right) nominee who is too extreme to be *cough* fair and balanced, then the nominee is held back.
41 people!!!! 41!!! This isn’t a tiny fringe minority. 41 Senators represent 20 and a half of the United States. That’s two fifths of America!
And I love when they keep saying how the Democrats are blocking up all of Bush’s nominees. They’ve stalled less than a dozen out of I believe over 250!!!
And you know, you JUST KNOW, that a few years from now when we have a Democrat controlled Congress and a Democrat president and they’re having a vote on liberal nominees, the ultra right will complain about how unfair it is.
If the filibuster is removed, I fully support the Democrats grinding the Senate to a halt. Put up every procedural roadblock and stop spending bills. Leave government employees without paychecks. Leave our troops without decent weapons and armor. Then let’s see how the conservatives like it when people start complaining.
…and breathe.
May 18, 2005 @ 7:39 pmI did a little research after our little meeting this evening, and found the following at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloture_rule).
This relates to how a cloture motion is made. Note, that to change the rules, 67 votes are needed (to end cloture)
May 18, 2005 @ 11:43 pm“The Senate votes on the petition; three-fifths of the whole number of Senators (sixty with no vacancies) is the required majority; however, when cloture is invoked on a question of changing the rules of the Senate, two-thirds of the Senators voting (not necessarily two-thirds of all Senators) is the requisite majority.”